It's a proud moment for Akkai Padmashali, the 29-year-old transgender from Bangalore. On Saturday, she will become the first from her community to attend the swearing-in ceremony of Justice Altamas Kabir as Chief Justice of India at Rashtrapati Bhavan, New Delhi.

The programme manager of Sangama, the human rights organization which works for the welfare of transgenders, is glad that for the first time the community has been recognized and invited to such a high-profile event.